Affliction

A/N: THERE IS CURRENTLY NO BETA ON THIS FIC FROM NOW ON, SO ANY AND ALL MISTAKES ARE WELL AND TRULY MINE. THANK YOU FOR BEING SO PATIENT AND I APOLOGISE FOR TAKING SO LONG TO POST. PLEASE LEAVE ME A REVIEW, WOULD LOVE TO KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS.

Chapter 9

Brass’s car pulled up outside Grissom and Sara’s town house. Squad cars everywhere. As they got out of the car Sara covered her mouth in shock. She expected it, but still, the whole sight of what was before her made her shake in fear. This was happening, happening to them, and their son…their son was now a victim. A sob escaped her throat as Grissom placed an arm around her.

“Let’s find out what’s happening.” Grissom whispered holding her tight.

“Err Griss?”

Grissom looked at Nick who was looking a little nervous.

“You know you shouldn’t go in there until the scene is released don’t you?”

“I appreciate your concern Nick…” They headed towards the tape…

“No…No!” Came a shout.

Grissom and Sara stopped as Ecklie appeared from the scene and walked towards them ducking under the tape.

“Gil…Sara…” He said clearing his throat. “Look…I know this is a hard time for you…but you know as well as I do you can’t enter this crime scene until it’s cleared.”

Grissom bit his lip as Sara took a slight step back, she knew her husband, especially when it came to Michael.

“Conrad…I suggest you get out of our way…right now.”

Nick stepped forward ready to pull Grissom back but Brass grabbed his arm and shook his head. Nick stood down.

“Look Gil, I’m telling you as your superior and….as a friend, you can not enter this crime scene, you could compromise the case and you know that. Your house will be released shortly then you can do what ever you want but until then, I’m in charge here and you will do…..”

Without warning Grissom grabbed Ecklie by the shirt and thrust him hard against the side of a nearby squad car.

Sara jumped and watched her husbands anger burst through his pain.

“If you think, for one second,” Grissom gritted his teeth, hard, “you are going to stand in the way of me helping to find my son Conrad, you are very much mistaken.” Tears welled in his eyes.

Ecklie struggled a little, shocked very much by Grissom’s actions.

“Gil…you can’t …do this…”

Grissom tightened his grip forcing Ecklie harder into the car.

“Gil!” Brass warned but Grissom didn’t let up until he felt of soft pressure on his shoulder. He turned to see Sara, looking deep into his eyes. As much as she enjoyed her husband dominating Ecklie she knew he’d regret it if it went any further.

“Let him go…” She requested softly looking deep into his pain filled eyes.

“Baby let him go…”

Grissom thought for a long moment before releasing his grip.

“I should fire you for that!” Ecklie snapped without thinking. “I know you’re under a lot of pressure but it comes to something doesn’t it Gil? When your wife has to control your emotions for you. I thought you were stronger than that.”

Brass and Nick looked at each other and Sara shook her head as she witnessed Grissom’s eyes glaze over with fury.

Grissom pulled her arm back and jumped forward, lunging for Ecklie. A mad scramble ensued. Brass and Nick managed to grab him before the fatal blow was delivered.

Ecklie quickly dashed away from the car as Grissom struggled to break free from Brass and Nick.

“You son of a bitch!” Grissom shouted.

“Grissom, calm down man! Please!” Nick begged.

“What’s going on here?” A voice called from behind the commotion.

Everyone looked over to see the Sheriff. Grissom stopped struggling, shrugging off Brass and Nick.

Brass glared at Ecklie as he straightened himself up. “Just a misunderstanding right Conrad?”

Brass turned his gaze to Grissom. “Right?!”

Grissom sighed heavily and nodded, bowing his head slightly. He looked to the Sheriff then back to Ecklie.

“I just want to find my son.”

The Sheriff knew there had been a confrontation but unlike Ecklie he had a higher state of empathy.

“How long until the scene is released Conrad?” He asked.

“I’m not sure…er…let me check with Catherine, she’s running the investigation.”

The Sheriff nodded. “Gil…Sara…walk with me…please…”

The Sheriff led Grissom and Sara away from the commotion of the crime scene.

“Look I can’t even imagine what the two of you are going through…but…”

“I want to help Rory…”

“I know you do. You wouldn’t be a good father if you didn’t, but you shouldn’t enter the scene until it’s been cleared or until Catherine’s says so. You know that Gil. You can support your team as much as you want at the lab, but hands off. Anything else is a serious conflict of interest and it could be held against us. I want to find Michael too, so please, let your guys do their job. I beg you, for the sake of you both and for your son.”

Grissom sighed as Sara gripped his hand tightly.

“Okay,” he whispered.

Ecklie reappeared. “They are just finishing up in the house.”

Grissom nodded. “I want to speak to Catherine as soon as she is available.”

Ecklie looked at the Sheriff. He nodded.

They headed back towards the house just as Catherine and Warrick exited the front door.

Their gazes met.

Catherine handed her bags of evidence to Warrick.

“Can you put that in the car? I need to…erm…speak too…”

“Sure.” Warrick took the bags as Catherine slowly walked towards her friends.

“Hi.” Her voice croaked. “I’m so sorry…”

“Thank you,” Sara struggled. She didn’t know what else to say.

“Did you find anything?” Grissom’s voice was desperation tinged with hope.
The look on Catherine’s face gave them their answer.

She sighed. “Not a great deal. Lots of prints, but they are more than likely yours. Greg’s just finishing up in the kitchen, not sure if he’s found anything in there yet. Then we are finished. I’d like you to take a look around when he’s done. See if anything is different or missing.”

“Is there any news on Claire?” Sara asked.

“She’s in ICU. She’s holding on but I don’t think she will be talking to us for a while. Whether she can tell us anything if she wakes I don’t know. She was shot in the back…never saw it coming.”

Sara cringed, wrapping her arms tightly around her mid section. “Why did they…have to do that?” Sara chocked back on a sob.

“Who found her?” Grissom asked.

“Your next door neighbour. Brass is talking to them now.

“Did they force their way in?”

Catherine shook her head. “No signs of forced entry, but it looks like maybe the lock on the front door was picked, looks professional.”

“If only we’d left Hank here, he would have heard them.” Grissom was obviously annoyed with himself.

Grissom and Sara had agreed to take Hank to the sitter as Claire would have enough to deal with looking after Michael.

“Well I’ve got a bit of info from next door….”

Everyone turned to see Brass.

“…neighbours saw a blue pick up parked on the road by your driveway, dent in the fender. It was there for approximately two hours between nine and eleven pm. Mrs Foley said she heard it screech out onto the road just after eleven. Her husband went out to check what was going on and saw your front door open. They found Claire, but Michael was gone.”

Sara shook slightly. Just the words “Michael was gone,” devastated her heart once again. Grissom wrapped an arm firmly around her.

“Hey Cath?” Came a voice from the house. Greg appeared, suddenly stopping when he saw Sara and Grissom. He swallowed hard before approaching them.

“Hi.” He said softly. “Guys, erm….I….”

“It’s okay Greg.” Sara attempted to ease his discomfort.

Greg nodded quickly looking at the ground before turning to Catherine. “I think I got something.”

Grissom and Sara shifted anxiously.

“What?”

“Two prints, both the same. From a beer bottle and the fridge door, but they’re different from the other prints we found around the house.”

“Good.” Catherine said quickly. “Get everything to the lab and get it processed now. Make it priority. Nothing else matters for us tonight.”

Greg nodded and hurried to meet Warrick.

Catherine sighed. “We are all finished with the house. We may need to come back but you know the drill. So…you ready to take a look around?”

Grissom looked at Sara and she nodded.


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Four hours later.

Sara looked through the living room window her arms firmly crossed. She watched the squad car parked outside the house. The whole idea that they had to be protected made her sad and helpless. This mad woman had taken her son and was now dictating how they lived their life.

They had checked the house with Catherine earlier to find nothing. Not a thing. Nothing was different; nothing had been moved or taken. The only addition to their home was a large blood stain on the carpet. Sara glanced over at it and her blood began to boil. She sighed heavily then quickly headed towards the kitchen. Grissom appeared from the bedroom to find her rummaging under the sink. She pulled out a bucket and a scrubbing brush.

“Sara? What are you doing?”

She ignored him and filled up the bucket with water and detergent. She scooted past him and headed for the carpet.

“Sara!”

“I have to clean this; I just can’t look at it any more.”

She got down on her knees and began scrubbing furiously.

Grissom walked up close behind her. “Sara, leave it please. It won’t come out. We have to replace it.”

Again she ignored him, her scrubbing becoming more wild and erratic. She could feel the sting of tears burning her eyes.

“Honey, please….” Grissom begged.

Sara’s scrubbing halted and she began sobbing. Grissom felt his stomach tighten as he bent to pick her from the floor, pulling her into a tight embrace. She cried heavily into his shoulder as he held her with everything he could. She clung on for dear life.

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Catherine entered the print room.

“Got anything yet Greg?”

“No it’s still processing….” Just as he finished his sentence Ibis came up with a match.

Greg looked at Catherine. “We got a match.”

Catherine hurried to the computer and brought up the information.

“Joshua Stevens.” She read from the screen. “Stevens?” She flicked down the information and stood back, her mouth agape. “Oh god. He’s Bobby Stevens brother.”

She hit the print button. “I’m going to find Brass; we need to get Bobby Stevens down here for an interview, right now. Greg, get hold of the penitentiary. We need visiting records for the last two years. I want to know if Bobby has had a visit from his brother and I want the information an hour ago. You got it?”

“Sure do.” Greg hurried from his seat as Catherine went in search of Brass.

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Sara had pulled herself together and was making coffee. Caffeine, just what she needed. She hadn’t slept much in the last thirty six hours and was beginning to feel it. Not that she could sleep, even if she wanted too. She wanted to know what was happening but both her and Grissom had agreed to give the guys sometime to process before they went to the lab. Grissom was itching to help. He wanted too, he needed too. Then they had the dilemma of whether to leave the house. Would they call? When?

Grissom paced around the living room as Sara walked in, holding out a mug of coffee.

“Thanks. Are you alright?”

Sara nodded and tried a faint smile, but as she brought her own coffee to her lips her smile faded as her eyes glanced upon the television. The cup slipped from her fingers and bounced on the floor. Black coffee making another permanent stain on the already tainted carpet. Her head began to shake slowly as she ran for the remote.

“Sara what? What is it?” Grissom gasped panic encasing him.

The news was on and all Sara saw on the screen as she turned up the volume was “Boys body found…..”

The volume hitched….”I’m here on the outskirts of Las Vegas where the body of a twenty two month old boy was found a little over two hours. Reports so far say that the boy died in suspicious circumstances although any details are unconfirmed. This is only one of many……”

The words drifted off as Grissom and Sara watched in shocked silence. Sara began to shiver. Her head shaking from side to side. “No…..Noooooo!!!!!”

Grissom swallowed the lump in his throat and took her hand, pulling her towards the front door and ultimately the lab.